Widsith

Widsið maðolade,⁠wordhoard onleac,
se þe monna mæst⁠mægþa ofer eorþan,
folca geondferde;⁠oft he on flette geþah
mynelicne maþþum.⁠Him from Myrgingum
æþele onwocon.⁠He mid Ealhhilde, ⁠5
fælre freoþuwebban,⁠forman siþe
Hreðcyninges⁠ham gesohte
eastan of Ongle,⁠Eormanrices,
wraþes wærlogan.⁠Ongon þa worn sprecan:
"Fela ic monna gefrægn⁠mægþum wealdan! ⁠10
Sceal þeodna gehwylc⁠þeawum lifgan,
eorl æfter oþrum⁠eðle rædan,
se þe his þeodenstol⁠geþeon wile.
þara wæs Hwala⁠hwile selast,
ond Alexandreas⁠ealra ricost ⁠15
monna cynnes,⁠ond he mæst geþah
þara þe ic ofer foldan⁠gefrægen hæbbe.
ætla weold Hunum,⁠Eormanric Gotum,
Becca Baningum,⁠Burgendum Gifica.
Casere weold Creacum⁠ond Cælic Finnum, ⁠20
Hagena Holmrygum⁠ond Heoden Glommum.
Witta weold Swæfum,⁠Wada Hælsingum,
Meaca Myrgingum,⁠Mearchealf Hundingum.
þeodric weold Froncum,⁠þyle Rondingum,
Breoca Brondingum,⁠Billing Wernum. ⁠25
Oswine weold Eowum⁠ond Ytum Gefwulf,
Fin Folcwalding⁠Fresna cynne.
Sigehere lengest⁠Sædenum weold,
Hnæf Hocingum,⁠Helm Wulfingum,
Wald Woingum,⁠Wod þyringum, ⁠30
Sæferð Sycgum,⁠Sweom Ongendþeow,
Sceafthere Ymbrum,⁠Sceafa Longbeardum,
Hun Hætwerum⁠ond Holen Wrosnum.
Hringweald wæs haten⁠Herefarena cyning.
Offa weold Ongle,⁠Alewih Denum; ⁠35
se wæs þara manna⁠modgast ealra,
no hwæþre he ofer Offan⁠eorlscype fremede,
ac Offa geslog⁠ærest monna,
cnihtwesende,⁠cynerica mæst.
Nænig efeneald him⁠eorlscipe maran ⁠40
on orette.⁠Ane sweorde
merce gemærde⁠wið Myrgingum
bi Fifeldore;⁠heoldon forð siþþan
Engle ond Swæfe,⁠swa hit Offa geslog.
Hroþwulf ond Hroðgar⁠heoldon lengest ⁠45
sibbe ætsomne⁠suhtorfædran,
siþþan by forwræcon⁠wicinga cynn
ond Ingeldes⁠ord forbigdan,
forheowan æt Heorote⁠Heaðobeardna þrym.
Swa ic geondferde fela⁠fremdra londa ⁠50
geond ginne grund.⁠Godes ond yfles
þær ic cunnade⁠cnosle bidæled,
freomægum feor⁠folgade wide.
Forþon ic mæg singan⁠ond secgan spell,
mænan fore mengo⁠in meoduhealle ⁠55
hu me cynegode⁠cystum dohten.
Ic wæs mid Hunum⁠ond mid Hreðgotum,
mid Sweom ond mid Geatum⁠ond mid Suþdenum.
Mid Wenlum ic wæs ond mid Wærnum⁠ond mid wicingum.
Mid Gefþum ic wæs ond mid Winedum⁠ond mid Gefflegum. ⁠60
Mid Englum ic wæs ond mid Swæfum⁠ond mid ænenum.
Mid Seaxum ic wæs ond Sycgum⁠ond mid Sweordwerum.
Mid Hronum ic wæs ond mid Deanum⁠ond mid Heaþoreamum.
Mid þyringum ic wæs⁠ond mid þrowendum,
ond mid Burgendum,⁠þær ic beag geþah; ⁠65
me þær Guðhere forgeaf⁠glædlicne maþþum
songes to leane.⁠Næs þæt sæne cyning!
Mid Froncum ic wæs ond mid Frysum⁠ond mid Frumtingum.
Mid Rugum ic wæs ond mid Glommum⁠ond mid Rumwalum.
Swylce ic wæs on Eatule⁠mid ælfwine, ⁠70
se hæfde moncynnes,⁠mine gefræge,
leohteste hond⁠lofes to wyrcenne,
heortan unhneaweste⁠hringa gedales,
beorhtra beaga,⁠bearn Eadwines.
Mid Sercingum ic wæs⁠ond mid Seringum; ⁠75
mid Creacum ic wæs ond mid Finnum⁠ond mid Casere,
se þe winburga⁠geweald ahte,
wiolena ond wilna,⁠ond Wala rices.
Mid Scottum ic wæs ond mid Peohtum⁠ond mid Scridefinnum;
mid Lidwicingum ic wæs ond mid Leonum⁠ond mid Longbeardum, ⁠80
mid hæðnum ond mid hæleþum⁠ond mid Hundingum.
Mid Israhelum ic wæs⁠ond mid Exsyringum,
mid Ebreum ond mid Indeum⁠ond mid Egyptum.
Mid Moidum ic wæs ond mid Persum⁠ond mid Myrgingum,
ond Mofdingum⁠ond ongend Myrgingum, ⁠85
ond mid Amothingum.⁠Mid East þyringum ic wæs
ond mid Eolum ond mid Istum⁠ond Idumingum.
Ond ic wæs mid Eormanrice⁠ealle þrage,
þær me Gotena cyning⁠gode dohte;
se me beag forgeaf,⁠burgwarena fruma, ⁠90
on þam siex hund wæs⁠smætes goldes,
gescyred sceatta⁠scillingrime;
þone ic Eadgilse⁠on æht sealde,
minum hleodryhtne,⁠þa ic to ham bicwom,
leofum to leane,⁠þæs þe he me lond forgeaf, ⁠95
mines fæder eþel,⁠frea Myrginga.
Ond me þa Ealhhild⁠oþerne forgeaf,
dryhtcwen duguþe,⁠dohtor Eadwines.
Hyre lof lengde⁠geond londa fela,
þonne ic be songe⁠secgan sceolde ⁠100
hwær ic under swegle⁠selast wisse
goldhrodene cwen⁠giefe bryttian.
ðonne wit Scilling⁠sciran reorde
for uncrum sigedryhtne⁠song ahofan,
hlude bi hearpan⁠hleoþor swinsade, ⁠105
þonne monige men,⁠modum wlonce,
wordum sprecan,⁠þa þe wel cuþan,
þæt hi næfre song⁠sellan ne hyrdon.
ðonan ic ealne geondhwearf⁠eþel Gotena,
sohte ic a gesiþa⁠þa selestan; ⁠110
þæt wæs innweorud⁠Earmanrices.
Heðcan sohte ic ond Beadecan⁠ond Herelingas,
Emercan sohte ic ond Fridlan⁠ond Eastgotan,
frodne ond godne⁠fæder Unwenes.
Seccan sohte ic ond Beccan,⁠Seafolan ond þeodric, ⁠115
Heaþoric ond Sifecan,⁠Hliþe ond Incgenþeow.
Eadwine sohte ic ond Elsan,⁠ægelmund ond Hungar,
ond þa wloncan gedryht⁠Wiþmyrginga.
Wulfhere sohte ic ond Wyrmhere;⁠ful oft þær wig ne alæg,
þonne Hræda here⁠heardum sweordum ⁠120
ymb Wistlawudu⁠wergan sceoldon
ealdne eþelstol⁠ætlan leodum.
Rædhere sohte ic ond Rondhere,⁠Rumstan ond Gislhere,
Wiþergield ond Freoþeric,⁠Wudgan ond Haman;
ne wæran þæt gesiþa⁠þa sæmestan, ⁠125
þeah þe ic by anihst⁠nemnan sceolde.
Ful oft of þam heape⁠hwinende fleag
giellende gar⁠on grome þeode;
wræccan þær weoldan⁠wundnan golde
werum ond wifum,⁠Wudga ond Hama ⁠130.
Swa ic þæt symle onfond⁠on þære feringe,
þæt se biþ leofast⁠londbuendum
se þe him god syleð⁠gumena rice
to gehealdenne,⁠þenden he her leofað."
Swa scriþende⁠gesceapum hweorfað ⁠135
gleomen gumena⁠geond grunda fela,
þearfe secgað,⁠þoncword sprecaþ,
simle suð oþþe norð⁠sumne gemetað
gydda gleawne,⁠geofum unhneawne,
se þe fore duguþe wile⁠dom aræran, ⁠140
eorlscipe æfnan,⁠oþþæt eal scæceð,
leoht ond lif somod;⁠lof se gewyrceð,
hafað under heofonum⁠heahfæstne dom.